Monday 10th July

Light rain overnight , and mainly cloudy, with showers and cloud over much of today.

Gary Turnbull kindly started things off today with reports of an Osprey at Finlaggan and presumably the same Glaucous Gull back at Uiskentuie that has been there on and off since early last winter.

David Dinsley had 4 Wigeon at Cornabus - the first returning birds of autumn I suppose? Later he saw a Swift nearby at Kinnabus - the third day in a row for the species. 

Further reports from Cornabus came from Ed Burrell who noted: " the Woodpigeon count has gone berserk this evening with 47 eating my clover! Previous record smashed". (The larger flocks of Woodpigeon are usually from autumn through winter to spring). Ed also had a flock of 27 Mistle Thrushes - again a fairly high count for this species on Islay.

Margaret Brooke had 14 thrushes on the lawn up at Kilchoman - I wonder if they were Mistle Thrushes too?

Dead and dying auks are still showing up. Not huge numbers, but still distressing. Steve & Lynn Rogers found a dead Razorbill on Singing Sands yesterday and a sickly Guillemot at Kilnaughton today.